London - One in eight children have never been given a book as a present, research shows.
Among disadvantaged children the figure rises to as high as one in five, according to the study by the British National Literacy Trust.
It also found that pupils who read daily outside class are five times more likely to read above the expected level for their age than those who do not read at home.
Jonathan Douglas, the trust’s director, said: “The more a child reads, the better their writing is likely to be as well as their speaking and listening skills.
“Literacy empowers children, particularly from the most disadvantaged communities, to do better at school and beyond, transforming their life chances.”
The survey of 32 000 youngsters aged eight to 18 found that girls were more likely than boys to receive a book: 86 percent compared with 79 percent.
Daily Mail